Toro, Black, Wilkinson propel Canada past Phillies in WBC exhibition contest

Okotoks Dawgs alum Matt Wilkinson (Vancouver, B.C.) struck out five batters in two scoreless innings to pick up the save in Canada’s 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday. Photo: Baseball Canada

March 4, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Abraham Toro had a three-run double and Tyler Black had two hits and two stolen bases to lead Canada to a 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in front of 5,462 fans at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Fla., on Wednesday afternoon.

It was Canada’s final exhibition game ahead of the World Baseball Classic, which will begin for them on Saturday with an 11:00 a.m. E.T. game against Colombia.

Just as they did in their game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday, Canada’s bats came alive in the sixth inning in today’s contest. With Canada trailing 3-0 and right-hander Jonathan Bowlan on the mound for the Phillies, Liam Hicks (Toronto, Ont.) led off with a single. Denzel Clarke (Pickering, Ont.) followed with a walk and Edouard Julien (Quebec, Que.) hit an infield single to load the bases before Toro (Longueuil, Que.) cleared them with double to the right-field corner to tie the game.

Matt Davidson then tapped a grounder in front of home plate to advance Toro to third and Jacob Robson (Windsor, Ont.) cashed him in with a single to give Canada a 4-3 lead.

Canada added another run in the top of the eighth inning when Davidson doubled off reliever Genesis Cabrera with one out. Black then knocked him in with an RBI single to centre.

Canada’s bullpen shut down the Phillies for the final five innings. Relievers Rob Zastryzny (Edmonton, Alta.), who got the win, Phillippe Aumont (Gatineau, Que.) and Micah Ashman all contributed scoreless innings. While left-hander Matt Wilkinson (Vancouver, B.C.), in his national team debut, dominated for the final two innings, registering five strikeouts.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson (Corunna, Ont.), who was the starting catcher for the Canadian national team at the 1984 Summer Olympics, employed a starting lineup that included five regular position players and veteran right-hander Aaron Nola, who owns 109 major league wins.

In his final start before joining Italy in the World Baseball Classic, Nola was masterful, striking out four batters in three scoreless innings.

Right-hander Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) started for Canada and looked solid in his two innings, permitting one run on two hits, while throwing 21 of his 31 pitches for strikes.

The Phillies scored their run off Quantrill in the second inning. After second baseman Bryson Stott singled, he advanced to second on a pitch that got away from Hicks. Left fielder Bryan De La Cruz then drove in Stott with a broken bat single to left. With two outs, the Phillies looked like they might score a second run, but right fielder Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, B.C.) made a diving catch on a sinking liner hit by Phillies DH Dylan Moore to end the frame.

Pitching in his first professional game since August 11, 2024, James Paxton (Ladner, B.C.) entered in the fourth inning for Canada and gave up a home run to Alec Bohm on the first pitch he threw. Paxton allowed another unearned run, but the veteran lefty impressed with his velocity, which was consistently registering at 92 mph.

Junior National Team grad and Toronto Blue Jays prospect Owen Gregg (Oakville, Ont.), who’s not on Canada’s WBC roster, saw late game action at third base.

Canada finished their two-game exhibition schedule with a 1-1 record.